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Gu 3ltr, Gu 4.2 ltr Turbo or put a turbo on my GQ

4K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  waveriders 
#1 ·
Ok i have a few questions here and with what i say i hope i don't tick anyone off.

First up my dad is wanting to buy a new car currently he has a santafa ( **** box, he used to have a GQ petrol and loved it). He wants to buy a new car something bigger that will tow his boat he is currently doing up and maybe tow a caravan in a few years time. He has always been a Patrol man but also always been a 4.2 Diesel man over the smaller motor. He was reading my 4x4 mag the other day that compared the 3ltr to the 4.2 and both he and i found that the 3ltr isn't as bad as they make out.

My question is though who here owns a 3ltr gu and what is it actually like to drive towing, what are their common problems, what are the things to look out for, what year model did the 3 ltr get better, were the early ones having teething problems. Who has owned both the 3 ltr and the 4.2 and towed a load with them. Also he wants to lease the car so it needs to be less then 7 years old and be about $25000.

Ok now its my question. After reading the article in 4x4 mag i'm also starting to give the 3ltr a good look. I currently have a GQ 4.2 diesel. Its a good car mech wise but needs a paint job, little rust cut out air cond and at least a turbo for towing so about $6000 tyo $8000.

I use my car mostly as a weekend cruiser and to tow my boat its only about 600kg (trailer boat motor and gear) nothing major, and to tow my new camper trailer once it is made about 800kg. My questions are what would you people do for my situation. I would prefer the 4.2 GU because i like top have the power there to use when i need it, but i like my GQ just it needs a pretty up and turbo.

And last but not least what fuel usage do people get out of the 4.2 ltr GU and the 3ltr GU. Both running unloaded and towing. Thanks in advance to everyone that answers.
 
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#4 ·
Mate i have the 3.0TD and i get on average 12k per litre around town and 8-10 on highway. Only done one decent tow 600k round trip and still used only 12k per litre on the highway with about 750kg in the trailer and 4 adults and 3 kids in the car. I paid 25k for an 01 ST with 5 year warranty but 215k on the clock, wish i'd looked around more for lower k's, but live and learn.
 
#5 ·
G'day Southern Cross Tourer.

My 3.0 has done 290,000K, most of it's life towing.

Its a 2001 GU and yes we managed to stop it by melting a piston at 220,000K because we didn't know about this forum and the info here.

However since the rebuild (done by me in the shed) and modifying as per forum notes, MAF change, boost gauge, pyro, dawes valve, fan on intercooler, oil catch can, and now an aswill intercooler, she is better than gold again.

Tows an 18 foot cherry picker into the scrub during the week. This is work to see if such and such a hill is good for a tower site.

On holidays it tows a fully loaded van and 5 people 1600K to site and back again.

Best mileage I have had out of it towing was 10K per litre and worst 8K per litre.

To get my 10 back I will need to book the truck into Berrima Diesel again. No one else seems to be able to make it give that economy.

I I had known about pyros, boosts and mafs it would never have gone bang too.

Cheers
 
#6 ·
I have owned both and towed with both of them. I had a 2002 3ltr and covered nearly 100,000 in it and towed a camper trailer approx 1300kgs in weight. Never had any issues towing and it was fitted with 35's but was also chipped.

Currently running a 2006 4.2ltr and now towing a van approx 1800kgs. The 4.2 does it easier but can require a fair bit of gear changing on hills.

Difficult to compare because both have been set up different and towing weights vary. Both will do the job without an issue and so it will depend on what's in the market for the money that you have.
 
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